About EKATI
The EKATI Diamond Mine
BHP Billiton’s EKATI Diamond Mine is Canada’s first surface and underground diamond mine that officially began operations on 14 October 1998. Located approximately 310 km northeast of Yellowknife, the mine operates in an area of continuous permafrost and is accessible only by air, with the exception of winter road access, available only for approximately 10 weeks each year by ice road.
To date, 156 kimberlite pipes have been discovered on EKATI’s claim block with mining that includes both open pit and underground operations. The Panda and Koala pits are underground mines with open-cut mining occurring in the Fox and Beartooth pits.
Mining and processing activities are continuous 24/7 operations. Mined ore is crushed, scrubbed and ground to release diamonds from the surrounding kimberlite. Diamonds are then separated from non-diamond material using wet high-intensity magnetic separators, wet and dry particle X-ray sorters, drier and grease table.
The diamonds are shipped to BHP Billiton’s Sorting and Valuation Facility in Yellowknife for cleaning, sizing, basic sorting and government valuation, prior to their sale to NWT manufacturers and international manufacturers and traders through BHP Billiton’s sales office in Antwerp, Belgium.
EKATI has produced an average of approximately 3.0 million carats of rough diamonds annually over the last three years. Annual sales from EKATI represent around three per cent of current world rough diamond supply by weight and six per cent by value.
BHP Billiton employs approximately 800 people and has on average an additional 700 contractors on site providing a variety of support services. The main work rotation is two weeks on, two weeks off, with 12-hour shifts seven days a week. Employees are provided with free scheduled round-trip transportation from points of hire communities. Hiring preference is given to local northern and Aboriginal residents as part of BHP Billiton’s commitment to provide employment and business opportunities to Northerners.
Major facilities at EKATI Diamond Mine include world class camp accommodation, a truck maintenance shop with office complex, an equipment warming shed and the process plant. Major underground infrastructure, which includes access portal and ramps, underground conveyor and material handling systems and development headings, are in place to facilitate mining of the Panda and Koala Underground.
All the electric power is generated by BHP Billiton’s owned and operated diesel power station. In addition, because of the mine’s remote location there is storage for approximately 90 million litres of diesel fuel on site. BHP Billiton has been voluntarily reporting its greenhouse gas emissions for years and has achieved the highest level – the Gold Champion Level – in the Canadian Greenhouse Gas Challenge Registry. This demonstrates the company’s commitment to reducing emissions through its energy savings programs.
Winning the John T. Ryan National Safety Trophy is an important milestone for BHP Billiton and EKATI Diamond Mine. EKATI has worked for many years to reduce the frequency of injuries in its operation and in the last two years has seen the injury rates reduced by two thirds.
Find out about our History.
Contact Us
Contact one of our offices below if you would like more information. If you are interested in working at the EKATI Diamond Mine, please view People and Employment.
Yellowknife Office
BHP Billiton Diamonds Inc.
#1102, 4920-52nd Street
Yellowknife, NT , Canada X1A 3T1
Phone: (1 867) 669 6100
Fax: (1 867) 669 9293
Antwerp Office
BHP Billiton Diamonds (Belgium) N.V.
Hoveniersstraat 30, Box 263-268
10th Floor
2018 Antwerpen
Belgium
Phone: (32 3) 201 10 90
Fax: (32 3) 213 08 46
